Research Column Type

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Overview

The Research column type provides powerful AI-assisted research capabilities integrated directly into your workspace. Unlike standard data columns, Research columns allow you to dynamically gather information, analyze patents, extract data from publications, and structure findings—all without leaving your application.

Research columns transform your workspace from a static data repository into an active intelligence gathering tool that can search, analyze, and format research findings based on your specific requirements.

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Research Types

Raycaster offers five distinct research column subtypes, each optimized for different research needs:

1. Custom Research: Create flexible research requests with optional web search capabilities
2. Patent Research: Find and analyze patents with intelligent variable mapping and structured analysis
3. Publication Research: Locate and extract insights from academic and professional publications
4. Outbound Message Research: Generate tailored outreach messages and communications
5. Structured Research: Extract specific data points in a predefined format for consistent outputs

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When to Use Research Columns

Research columns are ideal when you need to:

• Gather information that isn’t readily available in your existing data
• Perform consistent research across multiple entities (companies, products, people)
• Extract specific data points from unstructured information sources
• Automate repetitive research tasks with consistent formatting
• Create a searchable database of research findings
• Generate competitive intelligence or market insights
• Validate or enhance existing data through external sources

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Research Type Comparison

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Custom Research

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Use Cases

• Competitive intelligence gathering
• Market trend analysis
• Company background research
• Product features and specifications
• Expert findings on specific topics
• Industry best practices
• Regulatory compliance information

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Features

• Flexible Query Format: Create research requests using natural language
• Variable Support: Insert variables like {{Company}} or {{Product}} that populate from other columns
• Optional Web Search: Enable or disable external web searching based on needs
• Save or Run Options: Save research parameters or execute immediately
• Conversational AI: Leverage advanced language models for nuanced research tasks

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Configuration

1. Define your research request with clear instructions
2. Insert variables using the @ symbol followed by selecting from available column data
3. Toggle variables as required or optional
4. Enable web search if external data is needed
5. Select your preferred run option (Save Only or Run Immediately)

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Practical Examples

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Company Research Request

Provide a comprehensive overview of {{Company}} including:
1. Founded date and location
2. Current product offerings
3. Market position and primary competitors
4. Recent news and developments (last 6 months)
5. Key leadership team members

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Product Analysis Request

Analyze {{Product}} and provide:
1. Key features and capabilities
2. Target market and user base
3. Pricing structure
4. Competitive advantages
5. Common criticisms or limitations

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Patent Research

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Use Cases

• Intellectual property landscape analysis
• Competitive patent monitoring
• Technology trend identification
• Innovation mapping by company or inventor
• Prior art searches
• Patent portfolio evaluation
• R&D direction insights

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Features

• Specialized Patent Search: Use patent-specific search syntax for precise queries
• Variable Mapping: Insert company names, inventors, dates, and other parameters
• Temporal Filtering: Specify date ranges with after: and before: parameters
• Highlights Analysis: Extract key technical innovations and unique aspects
• Strategic Analysis: Generate insights on patent portfolios and positioning

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Configuration

1. Construct your patent search query using specialized syntax
2. Insert variables from other columns (e.g., company names, inventor names)
3. Define date ranges as needed
4. Configure highlights analysis requirements
5. Set up summary analysis parameters

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Practical Examples

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Company Patent Portfolio Analysis

inventor:{{Name}} AND assignee:{{Company}} AND after:2023 AND before:2026

[Highlights Analysis]
Analyze the patent and extract:
1. Key technical innovations and unique aspects
2. Potential market applications
3. Technical domain and subdomains

[Summary Analysis]
Provide a strategic analysis of the patent portfolio, including:
1. Main technology focus areas
2. Innovation patterns over time
3. Potential competitive advantages

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Publication Research

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Use Cases

• Academic literature reviews
• Author research and expertise mapping
• Scientific trend analysis
• Evidence gathering for reports
• Industry publication monitoring
• Research methodology examination
• Citation analysis and impact assessment

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Features

• Author-Based Searches: Find publications by specific researchers
• Publication Database Access: Search across academic and professional literature
• Key Findings Extraction: Automatically identify and summarize important insights
• Methodology Analysis: Extract research approaches and techniques
• Concise Summaries: Generate comprehensive yet compact research overviews

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Configuration

1. Create your publication search query using specialized syntax
2. Insert variables for dynamic searches (e.g., author names)
3. Define your highlights extraction requirements
4. Configure summary parameters for consistent outputs

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Practical Examples

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Author Research Query

author:{{Name}}

[Highlights Query]
Analyze this research paper and extract the key findings, methodology, and conclusions.

[Summary Query]
Provide a concise summary of this research paper, including objectives, methods, results, and implications.

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Outbound Message Research

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Use Cases

• Sales outreach emails
• Recruitment messages
• Customer follow-ups
• Event invitations
• Product announcements
• Partnership proposals
• Personalized marketing communications

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Features

• Personalized Templates: Create message templates with dynamic variable insertion
• Tone Control: Adjust the tone to match your communication needs
• Variable Integration: Insert recipient details for personalization
• Context Awareness: Incorporate company, role, and relationship information
• Multi-purpose Formatting: Generate messages suitable for email, InMail, or other platforms
• Patent & Publication Integration: Reference recipient’s relevant patents and publications
• One-Click Copy: Copy generated messages directly to your clipboard
• Inline Editing: Make quick adjustments to messages before using them

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Configuration

1. Create your message template with placeholders for variables
2. Add context information about the purpose and relationship
3. Insert variables for recipient details, company information, and other relevant data
4. Specify tone and style preferences
5. Configure the length and level of formality

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Practical Examples

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Sales Outreach Message

[Purpose: Initial sales outreach to a potential customer]
[Recipient: {{Name}}, {{Title}} at {{Company}}]
[Context: We offer AI-powered research tools that might help their team]

Create a personalized, friendly but professional outreach message introducing our 
AI research platform. Mention how it could help their team save time on research
tasks and reference something specific about their company if possible.

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Patent-Based Research Outreach

[Purpose: Connect with researcher about potential collaboration]
[Recipient: {{Name}}, {{Title}} at {{Institution}}]
[Context: We've noticed their work on {{Patent_Topic}} and want to explore partnership]

Create a personalized outreach message referencing their patent work in {{Patent_Topic}}. 
The tone should be professional yet enthusiastic, highlighting our interest in their 
research and suggesting a brief meeting to discuss potential collaboration opportunities.

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Best Practices

For optimal results with Outbound Message Research:

• Provide rich contact data: The more information available about recipients, the more personalized your messages will be
• Be specific in templates: Clearly indicate what information and tone you want in the generated messages
• Batch process efficiently: Generate messages for multiple contacts at once, then review and send in batches
• Balance personalization: Ensure messages feel personal but not invasive by using appropriate data points
• Include clear call-to-action: Make sure your template specifies what you want recipients to do after reading your message

For detailed instructions and examples, see the Outbound Message Research documentation.

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Structured Research

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Use Cases

• Competitive feature matrix creation
• Pricing comparison tables
• Technical specifications collection
• Company metric tracking
• Product launch monitoring
• Regulatory status checking
• Market penetration analysis

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Features

• Defined Output Format: Specify exactly what data points to extract
• Consistent Structure: Ensure uniform research outputs across all entries
• Multiple Data Points: Define multiple fields to extract in a single query
• Flexible Types: Support for text, number, date, and other data formats
• Web Search Integration: Optional external search capabilities

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Configuration

1. Create your research request with clear instructions
2. Enable web search if external data is needed
3. Define the specific data points you want to extract
4. Select the appropriate data type for each field
5. Add additional data points as needed

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Practical Examples

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Product Specification Extraction

Research the {{Product}} and extract the following specifications:

[Data Points]
- price (Number)
- release_date (Date)
- key_features (Text)
- operating_system (Text)
- battery_life (Text)
- weight (Text)
- customer_rating (Number)

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Variable Usage

Research columns become particularly powerful when combined with variables from other columns in your workspace. Variables allow you to:

• Dynamically Customize Queries: Research changes automatically based on row data
• Batch Process Research: Run the same research pattern across multiple entities
• Create Research Templates: Define consistent research approaches for team use
• Link Related Data: Connect research findings to existing structured data

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Variable Insertion

To insert variables in any research type:

1. Type @ in the query field
2. Select the column containing your source data
3. Toggle the required/optional switch for each variable

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Variable Best Practices

• Be Specific: Use clear variable names that indicate the data being inserted
• Consider Fallbacks: For optional variables, the research will proceed even if data is missing
• Test First: Run sample research with different variable values to ensure accuracy
• Combine Thoughtfully: Multiple variables can create complex queries - ensure they work well together

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Configuration Options

When creating or editing a research column, you can configure these options:

• Research Type: Select from Custom, Patent, Publication, Outbound Message, or Structured research
• Web Search: Enable or disable external web search capabilities
• Run Option: Choose between “Save Only” or “Run Immediately”
• Output Format: For Structured Research, define the specific data points to extract

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Best Practices

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Research Design

• Be Specific: Clearly define what information you’re seeking
• Use Consistent Formatting: Maintain the same structure across similar research columns
• Leverage Numbered Lists: Breaking down research requests into numbered components helps ensure complete responses
• Specify Output Format: Indicate how you want the information presented (bullet points, paragraphs, tables)
• Start Broad, Then Refine: Begin with wider research queries, then create more specific research columns based on initial findings

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Research Management

• Document Sources: Request source citations in your research queries for verification
• Update Regularly: Schedule periodic updates for time-sensitive research
• Combine with Formulas: Use formula columns to extract or analyze specific elements from research results
• Create Research Templates: Develop standardized research approaches for common needs
• Use Views for Research Projects: Create dedicated views filtered to show specific research initiatives

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Optimization Tips

• Balance Depth vs. Speed: More detailed research requests take longer to process
• Chunk Complex Research: Break very complex research into multiple, focused columns
• Prioritize Critical Data: Put the most important information requests first
• Avoid Ambiguity: Be precise about what you’re looking for to prevent misleading results
• Test Variable Combinations: Ensure your research works across the range of data in your workspace

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Troubleshooting

• Too Broad Results: Narrow your query with more specific parameters or filters
• Missing Information: Check if web search is enabled for external data needs
• Inconsistent Outputs: For standardized results, use Structured Research with defined data points
• Performance Issues: Large-scale research operations may take longer - consider batching or scheduling
• Variable Errors: Ensure your source columns contain the expected data for variables

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Advanced Usage

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Research Chaining

Create sequential research columns where each builds on the results of previous research:

1. Initial research column gathers broad information
2. Subsequent columns analyze or extract specific elements from those results
3. Final columns synthesize findings into actionable insights

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Integration with Automations

Leverage research columns in your workspace automations:

• Trigger updates when source data changes
• Schedule periodic research refreshes
• Send notifications when research discovers specific conditions or thresholds
• Export research findings to external systems

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Custom Research Formulas

Combine research columns with formula columns for advanced analysis:

• Extract specific data points from research results
• Compare research findings across multiple entities
• Calculate trends or patterns across research outputs
• Generate composite scores or ratings based on research criteria